Collapsible container or the like



Jan. 28, 1936. H HKE 2,028,843

COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER OR THE LIKE Filed March 22, 1932 Inventor Patented .Fan. 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT oeiu ada, assignor of one-third to David Chow, Trail,

British Columbia, Canada Application March 22,

7 Claims.

self-opening and closing means actuated through the agency of the fluid contents of the tube or the like being placed under pressure, whereby to permit the dispensing of the said contents from the tube or the like, and upon the dispensing of a certain portion of the contents and the release of the pressure, will automatically close and seal the tube.

It is also an important object of my invention to provide a device of this kind which is of more positive action than devices of this general type heretofore provided, which is of simple and inexpensive construction and may be installed in tubes having the conventional dispensing neck, without material alteration thereto, obviating the absolute necessity to provide a different than conventional dispensing neck structure on tubes and containers of this type.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description taken in connection with the drawing, wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:-

Figure 1 is a transverse vertical sectional view through a collapsible tube showing the self-closing and opening means in the closed position.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 except that the self-opening and closing means is shown in the open position, and a certain portion of the contents of the tube is in process of being dispensed from the dispensing neck of the tube or the like.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line 4-4 of Figure 1 looking downwardly in the direction of the arrows.

Referring in detail to the drawing, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the same, the numeral 5 generally designates a conventional type of collapsible tube such as is commonly employed to contain and dispense tooth paste and shaving cream and the like which is provided with a dispensing neck 6. Though the dispensing neck may be cylindrical in form I prefer to construct the same in the form of a square tube.

Within the dispensing neck 6 and at one side of the lower end portion thereof there is secured 1932, Serial No. 600,530

by means 1 passing through the wall of the tu e, a hinge means 8 to which is hinged the 1 end of a generally square plate 9 which ii insides of the dispensing neck ii in such a ner as to prevent at all times the passage be it and the neck of the contents of the tube. plate 9 is normally maintained in the closed lar position shown in Figure 1 by a coiled ID of generally horizontal disposition which c gages one side of the dispensing neck L outer portion of the plate 9. that when the plate 9 is in the position shown in Figure 1 the contents l l of the tube are secure ly sealed so as to prevent the ingress of air mi other contaminating elements, which operate to deteriorate the contents of the tube.

Secured upon the upper end of the plate 8 is cap member l2 of fiat construction in the form oi a square in the event that the dispensing tube 3 is formed square, and the cap i2has a ing depending thereof at one side which is connected to the upper end of the plate 9. It will be seen that in the closed position of the self-closing and opening means the portion l3 engages the upper part of the Wall of the dispensing neck 5 so as to have a large bearing thereagainst.

It will be observed that the cap I 2 when in the closed position overlies the upper edge of the dispensing neck 6, and the underside of the plate which forms the cap i2 is slightly concaved as 3 indicated at M. It will be observed that the portion 13 seats against the wall of the dispensing neck simultaneously or practically so with the seating of the cap upon the upper edge of the dis pensing neck, by action of the spring it when pressure upon the contents of the tube is released.

As will be seen in Figure 2 the swinging more 1 It will be obvious force a portion of said contents against the under face of the plate 0 with suiiicient force to overcome the tension of the spring ill, whereupon the plate 9 will be moved out of the Way as seen in Figure 2, so as to permit the discharge or dispens ing from and through the dispensing neck of the desired quantity of the contents 3 l of the tube.

Due to the angular disposition formation of the self-opening and closing means of the ill. vention, release of pressure upon. the contents of ily pinches and pushes the conten out of its way, without widely pa or unnecessarily working against the remaining contents of the tube, and that in returning to the closed position this means acts cleanly and positiv-ely to prevent leakage of the contents of the tube or contamination thereof from outside sources. The plate 9 as already stated is given a close sliding fit with the interior of the dispensing neck 6 so as to prevent any of the contents of the tube working past and getting into the chamber formed behind the piate 9 and in which the spring 10 is located, as this would deteriorate the spring and cause an accumulation of material behind the plate so as to impede and hamper its smooth and satisfactory action.

Though I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be definitely understood that I do not desire to limit the application of the invention thereto, and any change or changes may be made in material and structure and arrangement of parts consistent with the spirit of the invention and the scope of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:-'-

1. A closing device for the discharge neck of a collapsible container, said closing 'devicecomprising a plate swingably mounted at its lower end in the neck and extending beyond the outer end or the neck, spring means mounted within the neck between and in engagement with the swingable plate and the wall of the neck for normally swinging the plate to a closing position across the neck, a cover member carried by the outer end of p the plate for abutting and closing the outer end of the neck when the plate is in closing position.

2. A closing device for the discharge neck of a collapsible container, said closing device comprising a plate swingably mounted at its lower end in theneck and extending beyond the outer end of the neck, spring means mounted within the neck between and in engagement with the swingable plate and the wall. of the neck for normally swinging the plate to a closing position across the neck, a cover member carried by the outer end or the plate for abutting and closing the outer end of the neck when the plate is in closing position, said spring means being located between the part of the neck on which the plate is mounted and the adjacent side of the plate.

3. A closing device for the discharge neck of a collapsible container, said closing device comprising a plate swingably mounted at its lower end in the neck and extending beyond theouter end of the .neck, spring means mounted within the neck between and in engagement with the swingabie plate and the wall of the neck for nor- ,rnally swinging the plate to a closing position aoaaeca 4. A closing device for the discharge neck of a collapsible container, said closing device comprising a plate swingably mounted at its inner end within the neck and having a portion extending outwardly beyond the outer end of the neck, spring means mounted within the neck between and in engagement with the swingable plate and the wall of the neck for normally swinging the plate to a closing position across the neck, said portion comprising a cover member carried by the outer end of the plate for abutting and closing the outer end of the neck when the plate is in closing position, said plate having another portion near its outer end arranged to contact and lie along a considerable portion of the interior of the discharge neck when the plate is in closed position.

5. In a collapsible dispensing tube having a discharge neck, closure means for the neck, said closure means comprising a swingable member mounted in the dispensing neck, a cap member carried by the swingable member and having a position outward of the dispensing neck and arranged to seat against and close the dispensing neck when the swingable member is in closed position, spring means mounted within the neck between and in engagement with the swingable member and the wall of the neck normally urging the closure member toward closed position, said closure means being movable to open position for dispensing material from the discharge neck by exerting sufficient pressure upon the material in the tube and neck.

6. In a collapsible dispensing tube having a dispensing neck, a swingab-le closure member having its inward end rockably mounted on the interior wall of the dispensing neck, spring means mounted within the neck between and in engagement with the swingable closure member and the wall of the neck for normally urging said closure member toward closed position across the neck, and a portion carried by the outer end of the closure member to cover and lie in close contact with the outer end of the dispensing neck when the closure member is in closed position, and arranged to have a position remote from the outer end of the dis= pensing neck when the closure member is in open position. I p Y 7. In a collapsible dispensing tube having a dis= pensing neck, a swingable closure member having its inward end rockably mounted on the interior wall of the dispensing neck, spring means mounted within the neck between and engagement with the closure member and the wall of the neck for normally urging said closure member toward closed positionacross the neck, and a portion carried by the outer end of the closure member to cover and lie in close contact with the outer end of the dispensing neck when the closure member is in closed position, and arranged to have a position remote from the outer end of the dispensingneck when the closure member. is in open position, said portion comprising an angularly arranged plate.

. ALEXANDER PISCHKE. 

